SANDY STRIKES; CONCERN REMAINS WIRELESS COULD TAKE HIT – As the storm continues to batter the northeast, the National Weather Service has stressed the high winds and strong rain could cause significant damage to communications systems or cause notable power problems at key cell towers.

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Agencies and companies say they’re mobilizing to prevent widespread outages that prevent those affected from communicating with loved ones or seeking assistance — and more on that in a second. But, for the time being, the word from DHS, FEMA and others has been decidedly old school: They’re telling folks to get a radio, charge their phones, keep an eye online and on broadcast, only call when necessary to preserve mobile capacity and — to borrow from the Twitter meme — just #hunkerdown. With Sandy still upon us, here’s what we’re watching this morning:

-- FEARING OUTAGES,FCC SWINGS INTO CRISIS MODE: Brooks Boliek has the story: “FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski called the CEOs of the major communications companies on Monday to discuss preparedness for what could be a serious interruption in telephone, wireless and other communications services because of Hurricane Sandy, a commission official told POLITICO.”

Those calls, also per Brooks, come as the “agency takes steps that are designed to make it easier for the companies to make frequencies changes or tap commission expertise if the storm knocks out critical facilities. ‘We are praying for the best, and preparing for the worst,’ Genachowski said in an email. Genachowski offered the CEOs the commission’s resources and support to help in preparedness and recovery efforts.” More here on the preparations, for Pros: http://politico.pro/RsyrdS

---AND FEMA IS READY, TOO: The emergency relief agency last night also emphasized it’s working to make sure first responders have the assets they need. Per FEMA: “Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) personnel and teams have been deployed to support the states with secure and non-secure voice, video, and information services, operations and logistics support to state response operations as well as with any potential requests for assistance.” (Remember, this is an important issue for the federal government as it works to upgrade first responders’ communications equipment, a reform push that owed its origins in part to the deadly aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.)

-- MEANWHILE, FEDS TAKE TO SOCIAL MEDIA: As the storm ravaged the east Coast, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and others briefed the press on their preparations — a part of which, he told reporters, included outreach to those who might be affected through Facebook and Twitter. Fugate didn't offer a prediction as to how effective his agency's work, so far, has been — but he did say the real indicator would come after the storm subsides, "if we see a change in the outcome that more people evacuated, that more people heed[ed]" warnings about the ways to stay safe.

-- ICYMI:FEDERAL OFFICES CLOSED, AS IS METRO: In case it’s not obvious, non-emergency employees are off today while emergency fed employees are expected at their workplaces unless directed differently by their agencies, per OPM orders. And relatedly, Metro service remains suspended this morning, with details about the rest of the day to come later. More on the storm and its impact below the jump.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING and welcome to Morning Tech, where we hope you and your loved ones are staying safe, wherever you are today. If you have power, help your friends — including us, by sending comments and tips to jkamen@politico.com or tromm@politico.com. Find the crew’s contact info below today’s Speed Read, and follow the full Pro team @ POLITICOPro.

MORE ON SANDY AND THE IMPACT:

--POWER OUTAGES SIGNIFICANT: It’s hard to measure the number of households without electricity, as the number changes almost by the minute. But estimates before MT’s press time — before our power went out, at least — reflected many more than 3 million had been affected, per the fed government’s tally. More, if you missed it, from Pro Energy’s Darius Dixon on how local Beltway companies prepared and reacted to the storm: http://politico.pro/S9JUy5

--GOOGLE ADDS POWER OUTAGE INFO TO ITS STORM MAP: Monday night, as large swaths of the East Coast were without power, Google posted power outage information on its crisis map, with helpful information for those on mobile devices. “Click the ‘layers’ button to see more, including shelter information, storm tracking and public alerts.” http://bit.ly/Rt6e6E

--DON’T TWEET EMERGENCIES: New York’s fire department sent out a reminder Monday night that people should call 911 — and not tweet — if they are in need of emergency services, CNET reports: http://cnet.co/Pi8vTY

--ALSO, WHAT WORKS AND WHAT WON’T: Check the AP for a great breakdown on which wireless or telecom services work and which don’t in the case of a power outage, and what you can do if you’re left in the dark to communicate with loved ones and get info: http://wapo.st/S9J7wQ

--PATENT OFFICE STILL CHURNS THROUGH APPLICATIONS DESPITE SANDY: Oh, this big storm? Nope, it isn’t taking down the USPTO, where more than 80 percent of the PTO’s attorneys telework and are expected to work if they have power, according to a PTO spokesman.

As usual, new patents will be posted Tuesday morning on the PTO’s Patent Full Text and Image Database. But a Trademark Trial and Appeal Board event Tuesday in Alexandria has been postponed and the PTO’s headquarter is closed to the public. Emergency personnel continue to report.

--DON’T FORGET THE CLOUD:When the infamous derecho slammed the nation’s capital, Amazon's cloud datacenter in Ashburn, Va., took a punch that knocked out major websites like Netflix, Pinterest and Instagram. But as Hurricane Sandy thrashes the East Coast into today, the company told MT it’s taking steps to prevent similar outages.

Amazon, for now, is procuring sufficient generator fuel, food, water, flashlights, radios, and extra staff, spokesperson Tera Randall told us. "Our infrastructure teams are following our storm response plan that we have developed and utilized during major storms over a multiyear period," she said.

--WHAT ARE FOLKS SAYING ONLINE? Facebook reports Sandy has been referenced more than President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney combined. The top words or phrases from U.S. Facebook users after the terms "Hurricane," "Sandy," or "Hurricane Sandy," are "stay safe" and "be safe." Also trending: “power,” “my friends,” “cold,” “prayers/praying” and “wind/winds.” http://on.fb.me/Rstr96

On Twitter, top hashtags included #Sandy, staysafe, FEMA, New Jersey and East Coast. Sandy’s nickname, “Frankenstorm” — so dubbed by NOAA last week — trended earlier Monday but fell out of fashion as the seriousness of the situation became more evident. Steve Friess has more on social media’s role in the storm: http://politi.co/Tklj8i

IN OTHER TECH NEWS:

PCS, COMPANIES USE TECH TO INFORM VOTERS – From Tal Kopan: “The Pew Center on the States has teamed up with Microsoft, Google, Facebook, AT&T, Foursquare and Politics-360* on the Voting Information Project (VIP), a non-partisan effort to make it easy to find detailed voter information online. … The goal of VIP is to provide ‘the most up-to-date information voters need in places they look for it,’ said David Becker, director of election initiatives at the Pew Center on the States.” More, for Pros: http://politico.pro/VACd4K

SHERMAN BACKERS USE NOTABLE DEMS TO ATTACK BERMAN -- Fellow Democrats are weapons in the hotly contested California 30th. A new mailer by a group in support of Rep. Brad Sherman shows the image of Reps. Maxine Waters and Barney Frank, Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Howard Berman with this sentence: “If you love these politicians, then vote for Howard Berman.” ( http://politico.pro/Rsrtpd)

The Sherman camp said the mailer was not from a Sherman-controlled committee. The Berman camp, though, went on the attack anyway. "Our campaign appeals to Republican voters by highlighting Howard's ability to work across the aisle to deliver for the Valley and our country,” said Brandon Hall, senior advisor to the Berman campaign. “Sherman's side appeals to Republican voters based on outdated stereotypes. It's offensive."

ORACLE CEO GIVES TO ROMNEY --Larry Ellison, Oracle’s chief executive, gave two $2,500 checks to the Mitt Romney campaign in September, as well as $30,800 to the Republican National Committee, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Ellison sat across from President Barack Obama at an exclusive dinner in February 2011 at the home of John Doerr.

ICYMI: FORSTALL IS LEAVING APPLE -- Apple executive Scott Forstall, who once was considered a possible successor to Steve Jobs, will leave the company next year, Apple announced Monday, along with other “executive management changes.” Forstall, senior vice president of Apple iOS software, had been criticized for Apple’s missteps, including its new map program as part of the iPhone 5. Until he departs, Forstall will be an adviser to Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook, the company said.

ICYMI 2: POSSIBLE FRENCH LEGISLATION TO CURTAIL GOOGLE: If Google fails to resolve its dispute with French media firms over sharing advertising revenue, France's president said the country may consider a law requiring Google to pay to cite news articles, The Wall Street Journal reports. http://on.wsj.com/StQ3aw

SPEED READ, by Michelle Quinn:

DAVID COHEN: COMCAST’S SECRET WEAPON: The veteran of Philadelphia politics and Democratic campaign bundler has been critical to the cable giant’s dominance, The Washington Post reports: http://wapo.st/XMBQb9

MICROSOFT HARNESSES BIG DATA: New versions of Microsoft products like Excel and Outlook will include advanced computing technologies to comb large amounts of data, The New York Times says. http://nyti.ms/Sqn5cC

COMPUTER SCIENTIST TRIES TO START OVER WITH COMPUTERS: Peter G. Neumann is part of a team rethinking computers and networks that would be stronger in the face of cyberattacks, The New York Times writes. http://nyti.ms/TQmqDo

Authors:

About The Author

Tony Romm is a senior technology reporter for POLITICO Pro. He closely covers the intersection of Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C., tracking how top tech and telecom companies lobby in the nation's capital — from the ways the industry donates to its regulators, to the sector’s activities to shape state and federal debates on privacy, cybersecurity, net neutrality and more. Before arriving at POLITICO in 2010, Romm worked as a tech and general assignment blogger at The Hill, where he also covered healthcare reform, and he's previously published work at The Washington Post, Slate and Stateline.org. You can often find Romm on weekends screaming at any television on which the Philadelphia Eagles or Phillies are playing.

About The Author

Jess Kamen is a technology reporter for POLITICO Pro and the author of Morning Tech. She was a Web producer for Pro for more than a year, and previously worked as a freelance writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kamen has a bachelor's in political science from Johns Hopkins University and has toured the U.S. several times as the lead singer and guitarist in a punk-rock band.